The Democratic candidate for Virginia Attorney General, Jay Jones, was stopped for driving 116 miles per hour, but received no jail time. Driving at that excessive speed is a severe form of reckless driving that could land you in jail for up to 12 months if you did it, and could easily result in the death of a motorist, bicyclist, or pedestrian. Even when I was a reckless young man, I avoided driving over 85 miles per hour in Virginia’s Fairfax County, because judges there had a well-known practice of sentencing people to at least a day in jail for every mile per hour they drove above 85 miles per hour.
As the New York Post reports, “A Democrat running for Virginia’s top law enforcement post was busted for reckless driving in 2022 – and avoided jail time by completing 500 hours of community service with his own PAC, according to an eyebrow-raising report. Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Attorney General, was slapped with the vehicular offense when a state trooper caught him tearing down Interstate 64 in New Kent County at a whopping 116 mph on Jan. 21, 2022, court documents obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch revealed.”
Jones’ political action committee isn’t a charity, but something created for his own political benefit, so it seems inappropriate that he used time spent on it to fulfill his “community service” obligation.
Democratic Attorney General Candidate Jay Jones is responding tonight to a reported previous conviction of reckless driving….Jones was clocked by state police driving 116 miles per hour on Interstate 64 in Kent County, Virginia. Court records show he paid a $1500 fine for it.
We reached out to Jones’ campaign to hear what he had to say. Here’s his statement: “Several years ago, I made the mistake of speeding, for which I am regretful. I accepted responsibility for my actions, paid the fine, and fulfilled my responsibility to the court, which was accepted by the New Kent County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and the judge.
We also contacted the campaign of Jones’ opponent, incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares. Here’s his statement: “I am alarmed by reports of Jay Jones recklessly endangering lives while excessively speeding down I-64 at 116 miles per hour. Instead of taking accountability for his actions, it appears that my opponent submitted a letter to the Court stating that he performed 500 hours of ‘community service’ for his own Political Action Committee, which is not a charitable organization under the Virginia Code, to dodge potential jail time. Our laws are not suggestions. This new information raises serious, troubling questions about Jay Jones’ judgment, his ability to uphold the law, and, ultimately, his qualifications for Attorney General.”
Increased Impact Forces: As speed increases, so does the force of impact in a collision. The energy involved in a crash grows exponentially with speed. This means that even small increases in speed can dramatically impact the severity of injuries to occupants.
Reduced Reaction Time: Higher speeds reduce the time available for drivers to react to hazards on the road. A split-second delay in recognizing and responding to a potential danger can make the difference between a near miss and a catastrophic collision.
Decreased Control: Driving at high speeds reduces a driver’s ability to maintain control of the vehicle, especially in adverse weather conditions or on winding roads. Loss of control at high speeds can lead to loss of vehicle stability, rollovers and more severe crashes.
Incompatibility with Crash Safety Systems: Modern vehicles are equipped with sophisticated safety features designed to protect occupants in the event of a crash. However, these systems are less effective at higher speeds, as the forces involved may exceed their protective capabilities.
Increased Risk of Ejection: High-speed crashes are more likely to result in ejection of vehicle occupants, significantly increasing the risk of serious or fatal injuries.
Impact on Pedestrians and Cyclists: Higher speeds also pose a greater risk to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. The likelihood of a pedestrian or cyclist being killed in a collision with a vehicle increases substantially as the speed of the vehicle increases.
